Sensing device



April 1, 1969 M; GATSONIDES 3,436,504

SENS ING DEVICE Filed Jan. 6, 1967 Sheet 1 of 2 INVENTOR. MAURlTS GATSONIDES April 1969 M. GATSONIDES 3,436,504

SENSING DEVICE Filed Jan. 6, 1967 Sheet 3 of 2 INVENTOR. MAURITS GATSONIDES United States Patent 3,436,504 SENSING DEVICE Maurits Gatsonides, lientveldweg 10, Aerdenhout, Netherlands Filed Jan. 6, 1367, Ser. No. 607,776 Int. Cl. Htllh 3/02, 7/00 US. Cl. 200-86 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention relates to a sensing device for a timing apparatus for swimming contests.

In known sensing devices, a plate was mounted parallel to a wall of the swimming pool so as to be movable towards said wall for operating a switch.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved sensing device operating with increased sensibility and reliability.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved sensing device in which the touchplate is sensitive to a touch of its upper edge.

The invention will now be illustrated by reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a front view of a device according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a detail of the upper right-hand corner of the touchplate of FIG. 1, to an enlarged scale.

FIG. 3 is a section along the line IIIIII in FIG. 2, to a still larger scale.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are a side view and a plan view respectively of a securing element.

FIG. 6 is a rear view of the upper right hand corner of the touchplate, showing another type of securing element.

FIG. 7 is a section along the line VIIVII in FIG. 6.

In the drawings, 1 is a tiled end wall of a swimming pool, in which are provided slots 2 for fastening the ends of ropes, not shown, which define the swimming lanes and which are supported in the water by pieces of floating cork. Between each pair of ropes defining a lane, to touchplate 3 is mounted so as to extend parallel to and spaced from the wall 1. The touchplate is made of a moderately flexible plastics material such as polyvinyl chloride at a thickness of 4 mm. The upper edge of the plate 3 reaches to about the same level as the upper edge of the wall 1 of the swimming pool and the lower edge of the plate is preferably at least 50 cm. below the usual water level of the pool. Usually about 80 cm. is a suitable height for the plate 3. When the official width of 250 cm. is used for each swimming lane, the length of each plate is usually about 225 cm. so as to fit amply between the ropes defining the lane. Obviously, the size and shape of the plate can be adapted to circumstances.

The touchplate 3 is slidably supported on a plurality of screws 4; which extend through holes 6 of the plate 3 into bushes 5 which are fixed in the wall 1 of the swimming pool. In the shown embodiment there are five holes 6 along the upper edge ofthe plate 3 and 3 holes 6 along the lower edge of the plate 3. When installing the plate, bushes 5 are fixed in the wall 1 in positions corresponding to the positions of the holes 6 of the plate Patented Apr. 1, 1969 3, said positions being located on the wall 1 by means of a jig. Each bush 5 has internal screw-thread for receiving the inner portion of the screw-threaded shank of a screw 4. On the remaining portion of the shank of each screw 4, a spacing bush 7 is soldered, so that when installing the plate 3, the bushes 7 abut against the bushes 5 and thus space the plate 3 from the wall 1. A washer 8a is soldered against the head 8 of each screw 4 for limiting the outward movement of the touchplate 3 when the latter slides in operation over the bush 7. In a typical installation, the spacing between the washer 8a and the wall 1 is about 10 till 12 mm. Thus, the outer surface of the plate extends the same amount in front of the wall 1 and the lane length is shortened by this amount, but this comes amply within the allowable tolerance for the lanelinks. When building a new swimming pool, the additional 12 mm. can be taken into account when determining the location of the wall 1.

At least the submerged lower portion of the plate 3 is foraminous. It should have a great number of perforations 9 so that e.g., 40-50% of its submerged surface is occupied by the perforations. This minimizes the danger of movement of the plate by waves" in the pool. Preferably, the foraminous portion of the plate 3 extends to at least about 10 cm. above the usual water level of the pool. If desired, a foraminous lower portion of the plate and an unperforated upper portion of the plate may be separated by a narrow slot so as to be movable independently of one another.

Rubber tubes 10a, 10b, 10c, are fixed on the surface of the plate 3 facing the wall 1. Instead of rubber, a synthetic material of comparable properties can be used for the tubes. Good results have been obtained with rubber tube of an outer diameter of 56 mm. and an inner diameter of 3-4 mm. Both ends of the tube 10a and both ends of the tube 10b are connected to a manifold connector 20 of a pneumatically operated electrical switch R. One end of the tube 10d and one end of the tube 10c is also connected to the manifold connector 20. The other end of the tubes 10a and 10d extend toward the adjacent corner of the plate 3. The tubes 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d are arranged in a meandering fashion over the surface of the plate 3 so as to be distributed in parallel equally spaced sections over said surface. In the embodiments shown, the tubes 10a and 10b have six parallel vertical sections connected by bights and one horizontal section whereas the tubes 10c and 1% have two vertical sections and one horizontal section, but the number of tubes and the arrangement and spacing of their sections will be adapted to the prevailing circumstances.

In the embodiment according to FIGS. 2 and 3, the rubber tubes Illa-10d are secured to plate 3 by means of individual securing elements 11 which form a loop about the tube and which are distributed along the length of the tube at suitable spacings. These securing elements 11 are made preferably of a flexible plastics such as polyethylene and they have the shape of a ribbon 13, one end of which is formed into a plug 14 having a barb shaped flange 15 at its outer end, whereas the other end of the ribbon 13 is formed into a ring 16. The plug 14 is preferably hollow with such a wall thickness that it can be pressed into one of the perforations of the plate 3, e.g., by using heat and with elastic deformation, so that the plug is immovably held in the perforation with a clamping fit.

The ring 16 fits about the plug 14 so that the ribbon 13 can be formed into a strap by sliding the ring 16 over the plug 14. When the plug 14 is pressed into the perforation of the plate 3, the ring 16 is simultaneously clamped between the plug and the plate, and the dimen sions of the securing elements are chosen so that the 3 tube a-10d fits exactly in the loop of the ribbon, that is to say, so that it is not squeezed but cannot move with respect to the loop either.

At the far side of the ring 16, the securing element 11 has a short continuation of the ribbon, and this continuation carries a protrusion 17 on its lateral surface, where as on the far side of the plug 14 the securing element carries a pair of projections defining a recess 18, so that when the ring is in its position on the plug, the protrusion 17 is positioned in the recess 18. Thus, the ends of the loop cannot rotate with respect to each other and one need not fear a squeezing of the tube by relative rotation of the portions of the ribbon.

In the area in which the ribbon 13 bears against the basin wall 1, the outer surface thereof is provided with a boss 19, and the touchplate 3 rests against the basin wall 1 via the bosses of the several securing elements 11. Thus, when the plate 3 is tapped, there will be an increased local deformation of the rubber tube in the point where it is bearing against the basin wall 1 via an adjacent boss 19, which increases the sensitivity of the installation. If desired, the plugs 14 may be solid instead of being axially bored. It is also possible that the ring 16 is slid over the plug 14 in the inverted sense to the embodiment shown, so that the loop is not formed to one side of the plug, but on top of the plug. It is also possible that both ends of the ribbon are provided with a plug and the two plugs of each element are inserted into perforations on both sides of the tube, so that the ribbon does not form a closed loop about the tube, but instead it arches over the tube from one side to the other.

In the embodiment according to FIG. 6, the rubber tube 10a-10d are fixed to the plate 3 by means of a string 21 of solid round rubber which is laced through the perforations 9 of the plates and forms arches over the tube. The thickness of the string 21 can be about equal to the inner diameter of the tube. In this case, a local deformation of the tube upon tapping of the plate is obtained because the tube bears agains the basin wall via theb portions of the rubber strings which arch over the tu e.

The upper edge of the plate 3 is covered by a strip 22 of rubber or like material. The cross section of the strip 22 comprises a circular hollow portion 23 (see FIG. 7) and two parallel flanges 24, 25 which have a spacing corresponding to the thickness of the plate 3. The strip 22 is pushed over the upper edge of the plate 3 until the circular portion 23 abuts aganst the plate 3. The strip 22 holds on the plate 3 by friction but if desired it may be secured by adhesive. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the strip 22 is divided into two equal halves which are connected by the T-union 26. The T-union 26 is connected with the manifold connector 20. The outer ends of the two halves of the strip 22 are situated at about the lateral edges of the plate 3. At said ends, the tube 10d or 10c respectively, is connected to the circular portion 23 of the strip '22 by a straight union 27, see FIGS. 2 and 6. Thus, one end of the tubes 10d and 100 is directly connected to the manifold 20 whereas the other end of the tubes 10d and 100 is connected to the manifold 20 via the right-hand or left-hand half respective of the circular portion 23 of the strip 22.

The switch R may be actuated either by touching the front surface of the touchplate 3 or by touching the upper edge of the touchplate 3. Usually, a swimmer will touch the front surface of the plate 3 either with his hand or his foot and he will thus move the plate somewhat towards the wall 1. This causes one or more sections of the tubes 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d to be squeezed between the plate 3 and the wall 1 and thus a pressure wave in one or more of the tubes. The switch R is of a known type which is so sensitive that it is actuated by a pressure change of about 2,-3 mm. water column. This means that a tapping force of some dozens of grams, usually less than 60 g., sufiices to actuate the penumatically oper- 4 ated electric switch R. The switch R is connected in the electric circuit of a known per se timing apparatus for signaling or recording a swimming time. Such timing apparatus is known per se and forms no part of the invention.

After the plate 3 has been tapped and the tube or tubes have been deformed, the elastic recovery of the rubber tube is sufficient to cause the device to return to its original position in which the plate 3 is held against the washers 8a by the elastic force of the rubber tubes. Because of the relatively large area which is occupied by the perforations =9, there is no danger that waves in the pool will actuate the switch R.

It has been found that a swimmer sometimes touches the upper edge of the plate 3 instead of the front surface thereof, especially when swimming a back-stroke. In this case, the switch R will be actuated by the pressure wave which is caused in the conduit defined by the circular portion 23 of the strip 22 which covers the upper edge of the plate 3. Thus, the strip 22 minimizes the danger that the switch R would not be actuated although the plate 3 has been touched, while it protects the swimmer from hurting his or her hand when striking the upper edge of the plate with a back-stroke.

The advantages of the touchplate of the invention will be clear. The plate is fully resistant to water, even to chlorinated water and sea water, and its weight is remarkably inferior to that of previously known metal plates. The perforations ensure that the plate cannot cause erroneous operation of the switch under the influence of the waves in the basin. The rather stiff plastics material has the further advantage that a local bending of the plate, upon a swimmer touching the plate, is permissible without danger of undesired permanent deformation. The force necessary for actuating the device is low.

A complete timing apparatus including a plurality of touchplates, switches, etc., can be easily handled and shipped so that it is possible to rent the apparatus for a certain contest and remove it afterwards.

Since the timing apparatus itself is capable of time measurement in hundredths of a second or even less, it is advantageous to keep the time between touching of a plate and actuation of the switch smaller than one hundredth of a second and this can easily be done by keeping the length of the air circuit between any part of the plate and the switch smaller than 3 m. In usual situations, it is easy to stay well below this distance. But if the plate has to be so large that excessively long rubber tubes would have to be used, one may install two switches R in parallel for each touchplate and connect the tubes of the rightand left-hand halves of each plate respectively to the right or left-hand one of said two switches R. Thus, the accuracy of the apparatus can always be kept within at least one hundredth of a second.

The timing apparatus may be of any known type, e.g., an electromagnetically operated stopwatch, an electromagnetic direct current impulse counter or an automatic time-printer. In known manner, the timing apparatus may be energized simultaneously with the starting signal for the race, whereas the switch R controls the stopping of the timing apparatus. It is also possible to mount additional plates 3 at the turning points of the race and to connect the additional switches R so that they signal or record the times at the turning-points without stopping the timing apparatus.

Various other modifications of the device may be made within the scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. Sensing device for a timing apparatus for swimming contests, comprising a plate of a flexible plastics material, at least part of said plate being foraminous, said plate being held parallel to a wall of a swimming pool on elements extending perpendicularly from said wall and traversing holes of said plate, said plate being slidable on said elements towards said wall, an elastic tube being fixed to the surface of the plate facing said wall, said tube being capable of elastic deformation when squeezed between said wall and said plate upon manually touching the surface of the plate remote from said wall, abutments at the outer end of said elements to hold the undeformed tube in contact with said wall by limiting the movement of said plate away from said wall upon recovery of the initial shape of said tube, both ends of said tube being connected to a manifold connector of a pneumatically operated electric switch for controlling the timing apparatus, the upper edge of the plate being covered by a strip of elastic material, the cross section of said strip comprising a closed hollow portion defining a conduit, said conduit being connected to said manifold connector of said switch for actuating said switch upon manually touching the upper edge of said plate.

2. The device of claim 1, in which the conduit of said covering strip forms part of the connection of one end of said elastic tube with said manifold connector.

3. The device of claim 1, comprising a plurality of elastic tubes, one of said tubes being connected to the switch at one end via the conduit of the covering strip of the upper edge of the plate and at the other end directly, both ends of each of the other tubes being directly connected to the switch, each of said tubes meandering over the plate so as to form parallel and uniformly spaced tube sections between the plate and the Wall of the swimming pool.

4. The device of claim 1 in which the cross section of the covering strip of the upper edge of the plate comprises a circular hollow portion and two parallel stripshaped portions extending from the circular portion at a spacing in which fits the upper end of the plate.

5. The device of claim 1, in which the elastic tube is secured to the plate by a solid rubber string which is laced through the perforations of the plate and over the tube, so as to form arches over the tube, said arches contacting the swimming pool wall.

6. The device of claim 1 in which the tube is secured to the plate by a plurality of individual securing elements which are distributed over the length of the tube, each securing elements which are distributed over the length of the tube, each securing element comprising a ribbon of a plastics material which is bent as a strap around the tube, one end of the ribbon carrying a plug which is secured in an adjacent perforation of the plate and the other end of the ribbon carrying a ring which surrounds said plug and is held against the plate by a flange of the plug.

7. The device of claim 6 in which the outer surface of the ribbon carries a local boss which contacts the swimming pool wall.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,858,394 10/1958 Hopkins 3,230,325

ZOO-86 1/1966 Parkinson 20086 X 

